Looking for a new best friend?
Becoming a dog owner is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
They are loyal, loving, and filled with a limitless supply of energy.
Check out these top tips for new dog owners to help make your lives together fun for both of you.
Put Together An Emergency Plan
If something goes wrong or your dog is looking unwell, you need to know what to do and who to turn to.
Dogs are incredibly inquisitive creatures that explore using all their senses, and their most powerful senses are smell and taste.
It is highly likely that while your dog is settling into their new home they are going to eat things that it shouldn’t, and this can leave them feeling unwell or pose a choking hazard.
Before you bring your new dog home, choose a veterinarian for help in an emergency.
You need to know who to call when your pet needs urgent care, like Furdunkin Emergency Veterinary Hospital.
They specialize in emergencies and can be there for you and your precious pooch when you need them most.
Stock Up On Supplies
Variety is the spice of life, and not just for humans but for dogs too.
The newest member of your family is going to need lots of care and comfort to settle in, and there is no greater comfort than food.
You will need to be disciplined as dogs like to eat and eat and eat.
They never know where their next meal is coming from and gobble up any food you put in front of them.
Get a good stock of food and treats ready and waiting for your dog.
Some pooches can be fussy eaters, so in the early days, it is a good idea to have a few different types and brands of food so you can find their favorite.
When your dog comes to their new home for the first time it will need lots of attention and reassurance, and you do not want to have to be running to the store to get supplies as soon as it arrives.
Create A Training Plan
The newest member of your family has a steep learning curve in front of them.
There is lots of training to do if you are both going to enjoy your lives together.
Potty training is the first problem you are going to have to get past.
If you have brought your dog from a shelter this may have been done for you by the staff at the shelter or a previous owner.
If you have bought a newborn puppy, prepare for some messes.
Dogs are good at letting you know when they need to go.
If they start circling, whining, and looking anxiously at the backyard, this is a sign that they probably need to relieve themselves one way or another.
Don’t risk it and let them outside.
Clean up after them soon after, if their mess is left for a while it can become more difficult to pick up and put in the trash.
Toys, Toys, Toys
Every dog needs plenty of toys to play with.
Giving them a big collection to choose from works in your favor, as they will keep themselves entertained a lot of the time by playing with their toys on their own.
This gives you a break from playing with them when you need to get some work done.
Make sure you pick up toys that give you the option of joining in for some bonding too though.
Dogs love toys that involve a ‘tug of war’, letting them grip something in their jaw while you pull against them.
Even small dogs enjoy these types of games, just remember to make sure the toy and the amount of effort you put in is proportional to the size of the dog you have.
Smaller dogs will struggle to compete if you are using all your muscle power to pull on their toy.
Give Them Some Space
All animals are territorial in some respect, but dogs are especially territorial.
They will protect you and your space, alerting you if someone is coming close to the home even if it is just the mailman.
Dogs need their own space too, whether it is the corner of a room where their doggy bed lives or a whole room or space in the yard that is the dog’s own zone.
Giving a dog its own space helps it to settle into the home too, and become a part of the family.
If they have some options let them make the decision.
See where your dog likes hanging out and resting, this is their default space.
Start making it theirs by keeping their food, bed, and toys close by or in the space itself, and add some decorations like a nameplate or pictures of them your children draw.
Clean Up After Your Dog
Make sure you clean up after your dog when you are out and about giving them a walk.
No one likes seeing dog dirt on the street or in the park and it poses a hazard to people, especially young children.
Never leave the house without your dog on a leash and a pocket full of dog dirtbags to pick up their poop.
Create a Plan for Socialising your Puppy
Your dog needs socialization too.
Dogs enjoy playing with other dogs and should spend some time making friends in the park, but keep an eye on their behavior and be prepared to correct it.
The same goes for interactions they have with humans, including young children.
Take them out a lot so that they can get used to other people and other dogs to help them become as friendly as they are cute.
Final Thoughts
A dog really is a human’s best friend.
They have endless love for their owners, as long as their owners treat them well and look after them.
Give your precious pooch the best life possible by using these top tips to make your ownership experience, and their experience of being owned, the best it can be.
